1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gas-liquid separator for separating a fluid, in the state of two phases, and which contains a gas-phase fluid and a liquid-phase fluid, into a gas-phase fluid and a liquid-phase fluid. This gas-liquid separator is effective when it is applied to an ejector cycle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional gas-liquid separators for separating a refrigerant in the state of two phases, which contains a gas-phase refrigerant and a liquid-phase refrigerant, into a gas-phase refrigerant and a liquid-phase refrigerant and storing a surplus refrigerant are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-349978, which will be referred to as Conventional Example 1 hereinafter, and Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-202168 which will be referred to as Conventional Example 2 hereinafter. In the gas-liquid separators 50, 52 of Conventional Examples 1 and 2 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the liquid flow outlet 19a, from which a refrigerant of the liquid phase flows out, is arranged in the lowermost portion of the separation space 18 and opens upward when each gas-liquid separator 50, 52 is normally installed. In this connection, reference numeral 51 defines a flow-out pipe 51 of oil supplied to a compressor.
Due to the above structure, it is possible for the liquid refrigerant to flow out from the lowermost portion of the separating space 18 in which the liquid refrigerant is stored.
However, in Conventional Examples 1 and 2, after the velocity energy of the liquid refrigerant has become zero in the separating space 18, the liquid refrigerant flows out from the separating space 18 by the weight (potential energy) of the refrigerant itself and the suction energy of a refrigerant conveyance means (for example, an ejector) arranged in the downstream of the liquid flow outlet 19a. Therefore, the flow-out velocity is decreased, and the refrigerant stays in the downstream of the liquid flow outlet 19a in the worst case.